Lawrence Shankland’s fourth goal in seven days helped Development League leaders Aberdeen extend their advantage to 12 points with a 2-1 win over Falkirk on Monday.
After scoring a debut double for the Scotland Under 21 side in last week’s friendly, the hitman also found the net during Andrew Considine’s testimonial on Friday evening before adding his 26th goal of the season for the Dons.
Following Aaron Muirhead’s dismissal for handling on the line, Shankland tucked away the resulting penalty but the 10 men drew level thanks to Kevin O’Hara’s eighth goal of the season. First-team regular David Goodwillie then pounced on a ball spilled by the Falkirk keeper to give Aberdeen their ninth consecutive win.
Celtic kept in touch of second-place Hamilton Accies with a 2-0 win over Motherwell. With Cappielow passing a pitch inspection, Celtic scored two second-half goals to claim a vital win, albeit on a surface not conducive to free-flowing football. Jamie Lindsay and Jaison McGrath netted for the Hoops, while Tom Rogic and Kieran Tierney both returned from long-term injuries.
It was Motherwell’s third game in six days, having lost 2-1 to Partick Thistle on Friday morning. Dylan Mackin netted his 10th goal of the season as Motherwell coach Jonatan Johansson named his youngest ever U20 side. Jordan Leyden’s penalty, Thistle’s fourth spot-kick in as many games, and Michael McMullin’s goal were enough to give the Jags their 11th win of the season.
Partick Thistle took great confidence from Friday’s victory and ran out 3-2 winners against Hearts at Firhill. Kallum Higginbotham opened the scoring for Thistle, but Gary Oliver levelled for the visitors. Gary Fraser’s 40-yarder put the Jags in front until Jake Hutchings levelled seven minutes from time. Neil McLaughlin’s first goal for the U20s proved pivotal as the Jags claimed back-to-back victories for the third time this season.
Bottom side Ross County were, for the second week in a row, involved in a seven-goal thriller, this time Dunfermline emerging victorious. First-half goals from Ryan Thomson, James Thomas and a double from Allan Smith saw the Pars go into the break four goals to the good, but the Staggies pulled three goals back thanks to Stevie Ross and Tony Dingwall’s double, giving him five goals in two matches.
Looking to put a narrow 3-2 defeat to Celtic behind them, Hibernian came from a goal behind to defeat Dundee 2-1 at Station Park. John Black’s third of the season put the Dark Blues ahead after 14 minutes but Jordan Sinclair and Farid El Alagui’s late penalty were enough as the Hibees recorded their second win over Dundee this season. It was El Alagui’s third goal in four games as he makes his way back from a five-month injury lay-off.
Under the watchful eye of first-team manager Stuart McCall, Ryan Hardie grabbed a brace as Rangers beat St Mirren 3-1 at St Mirren Park. A goal either side of half-time from Hardie put Rangers in a commanding lead, and an own goal compounded St Mirren’s misery. Mark Williams grabbed a consolation for the Buddies as Ian Durrant’s Gers remain undefeated in six.
Despite having sat third in the table at the turn of the year, Kilmarnock are without a win in 11 matches, a run stretching back to December. Despite leading St Johnstone 2-0 at the break through Dean Hawkshaw and Dylan Pooler, Saints battled back and ran out 3-2 winners thanks to Liam Caddis’s penalty and Jason Kerr’s late double.
Finally, Dundee United also picked up three points as they saw off Inverness CT at Station Park. Second-half goals from Matthew Smith and Aaron Duke gave the young Terrors their ninth win of the season against an Inverness side who failed to find the net for the eighth time this season.
After breaking his ankle just before Christmas, Celtic midfielder Kieran Tierney returned to action in Monday night’s win over Motherwell and said: “It was fantastic to get the first half under my belt and get the win in tricky conditions. From now until the end of the season I’m focused on playing as much as I can, and that starts with the Under 20s.”
After making his debut in Celtic’s defeat to Tottenham Hotspur in a pre-season friendly, a series of impressive performances saw him included in Ronny Deila’s 18-man squad for their Europa League clash with Dinamo Zagreb.
He added: “It was brilliant to be part of the squad for that game, travelling and training with the first team for such an important fixture was an incredible experience. It was a really intense game and showed me the amount of work required to play at that level.”
David Brockett
.png){kind=logo}
